Who gets first crack at Delling?; Latah and Ada counties building cases against accused killer; he is also linked to third case

MOSCOW - Authorities in Latah and Ada counties on Friday said they will continue to build cases against former University of Idaho student John Delling before deciding where the accused killer will stand trial first.

Meanwhile, Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney announced at a press conference Friday that Delling has been linked to a third shooting in Arizona involving a victim who survived being shot three times.

And Moscow Assistant Police Chief David Duke said four bullets found in the bodies of two slain men were fired from the same .38-caliber gun, according to ballistics tests. The bullets, however, have yet to be linked to a handgun authorities found in a vehicle Delling was driving when arrested, Duke said.

Delling continues to be held in Washoe County, Nev., after being arrested Tuesday on a warrant for first-degree murder in the shooting death of 21-year-old UI student David Boss. Delling also is a suspect in the shooting death of 25-year-old Bradley Morse of Boise. Both men were shot twice in the head, according to police reports.

Delling waived extradition during a Friday morning hearing in Sparks, Nev., and a judge gave Idaho authorities 10 days to bring him back for prosecution. John Helzer, a deputy district attorney in Washoe County, said he dropped an auto theft charge against Delling to expedite his return to Idaho.

"As far as this office is concerned, we're done," Helzer said. "I think the real question right now is who from Idaho is going to come get him?"

Delling was arrested, according to reports, while driving a vehicle owned by Morse.

Latah County Deputy Prosecutor Michelle Evans said authorities here and in Ada County continue to cooperate on the investigation and a decision about where Delling will be prosecuted first might be made early next week.

"We're still in the early stages of evaluating the evidence," Evans said. She and Latah County Prosecutor William Thompson Jr., are working together on the case.

In Ada County, Deputy Prosecutor Heather Reilly confirmed that her and Evans' offices remain in close contact. "Between the two of us, we'll make a decision."

Delling, according to court records, allegedly shot Boss early Saturday morning in Moscow. Authorities, according to records, think Delling then traveled to Boise in a rented vehicle and is connected to the murder of Morse.

The third victim, Jacob J. Thompson, 23, was shot March 20 in Tucson, said police, and sustained bullet wounds to the face and chest. He continues to recover in a rehabilitation center. Raney said a man thought to be Delling allegedly lured Thompson from his home and fired at him five times.

Delling, Boss and Thompson all graduated from Timberline High School in Boise, according to reports.

Duke said the rented vehicle that Delling apparently drove to Moscow has been located and impounded in Ada County. He said detectives will search it as soon as possible for evidence. In addition, Duke said investigators continue to collect evidence in Moscow, including video from surveillance cameras at places where Delling may have visited while in town.

"We need about 20 more people and we might get our heads above water," Duke said of the effort Moscow police are making to build a case. "There's been a lot of good work done by our detectives."

Delling was arrested after police here found he made a cell phone call to Boss shortly before the shooting at an off-campus apartment. Police, working with the cell phone company, were able to hone in on the signal from Delling's phone in Nevada and make the arrest.

Brooke Keast, spokeswoman for the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, said Delling remains in custody in the general population, has a cellmate, and has not caused any security problems. "He's been fine. We haven't had any issues at all," Keast said. She described Delling's demeanor at the extradition hearing as "mellow" and resigned to being taken back to Idaho.

"He can leave any time they (Idaho authorities) show up," Keast said.

Motives have not been fully established, other than a number of people, according to court records, have said Delling allegedly exhibited mental and behavioral problems. Raney said Delling apparently drove 6,500 miles through Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, Arizona and Nevada during the month prior to the Boss and Morse killings.

____

Johnson may be contacted at deveryone@potlatch.com or (208) 883-0564.